Marchers Hope to Take Steps to Stop Violence at Rally in Lakeland

Hundreds of people will take to Lakeland's streets this afternoon for a march and rally to bring awareness to two issues affecting the city's youth: gang violence and bullying.

By STEPHANIE ALLENTHE LEDGER

LAKELAND | Hundreds of people will take to Lakeland's streets this afternoon for a march and rally to bring awareness to two issues affecting the city's youth: gang violence and bullying.Eddie Lake, pastor of the New Bethel AME Church in Lakeland, is helping organize the march as part of the 13th Sons of Allen Retreat.The retreat is held every year at churches throughout Florida to bring awareness to men about relationships, the importance of teaching children, and about juvenile delinquency and mentoring programs, he said.The three-day retreat started Thursday evening with an opening ceremony led by Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson Jr., the Presiding Prelate of the 11th Episcopal District, Lake said.As of Thursday evening, Lake said the retreat had more than 200 men registered and about 50 teenagers expected to attend. About half of the attendees are local, he said, and those numbers were expected to double before the march today.Starting at 4 p.m. the marchers will walk from the New Bethel Church at 2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. south toward 10th Street and back toward Simpson Park, Lake said. Once all the marchers are at the park, community and church officials are planning a conference to discuss the city's recent increase in gang-related violence, along with the national issue of bullying, Lake said."We want to use this as an impetus to help the local community sort of stimulate us to do more than what we've done in the past to bring this to a screeching halt," he said. "Every day that goes by that we aren't able to save a young person's life isn't good for the community."Lake said everyone is encouraged to attend the march and conference. Marchers will be passing out fliers and information about the Gang Task Force Community Forum being held Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Coleman Bush Building in Lakeland.

[ Stephanie Allen can be reached at stephanie.allen@theledger.com or 863-802-7550. ]